Social Diagnosis

AS BETWEEN the different forms of social case work, it will
be seen that, in the first city (where such comparisons could
be most safely made), the suburban and the city charity
organization society consulted with 35 and 36 Relatives respectively
in their 50 cases each, the general private relief society with 39,
the public outdoor relief department with 42, the society to protect children from cruelty with 51, the city and state departments
for care of children with 68 and 44 respectively, three child-placing
agencies with 89, 44, and 48 respectively, a reform school with 26,
a children's institution with 20, a day nursery with 29, and three
hospital social service departments with 11, 6, and 23 respectively.1
Relatives were seldom consulted by the juvenile court, but in most
forms of children's work, in family work, and in medical-social
work (though here in a less degree) the figures show frequent consultations.2

What does the reading of case records and the evidence of case
workers, in so far as it has been possible to collect this in many
interviews with them, show as to Relatives? Clients often do not
want their Relatives seen. Why is this, and what mistakes of the
social worker may justify, at least in part, this position? More
and more social workers are seeking out Relatives, though more
and more they are discovering their bias, and the need of sifting
their evidence with great care. Just what is gained in accuracy

It must be remembered that only the Relatives outside the immediate family
group were counted in the outside sources study. The use of the word Relatives
in this chapter is subject to the same limitation but to no other, for it here indicates
relationship by birth, by marriage, or by descent. Brothers and sisters living at
home are counted as members of the family under treatment; if living away from
the family, they are classified as Relatives. A client's kindred and his wife's
kindred are regarded here as his and her Relatives, though the distinction between
connection by marriage and connection by descent or birth is an important one to
make in our consultations.

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